Improvement in ore-separators



' To all whom 'it may concern:

'.WiLLrAMt-ioornn, OF TIooNDERoeA, 'NEW YORK.

IMPRovi-:Mi-:NT IN :ORE-SEPARATORS.

l Specification forming part of Letters lPatent No. 112,918, dated March 21,1871; antedated March 10, 1871'.

Beit known that I, WILLIAM Hoornse, of Ticonderoga, inthe county of Essex and State o f New lYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dry-Ore Separators; and Il do hereby declare the following to be a full,-

clear, and exact4 description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theA accompanying drawing, forming 'part of this specification, in which drawing- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of machines in which intermittent blasts, jets, or currents. of air are projected or forced through a perforated plate, sieve, or porous bottom or bed lcontaining ore or other substance to be separatehso 'as to; loosen and agltate the mass in a manner which has been found peculiarly favorable for separating lighter from heavier grains, granules,` or particles, the lighter being driven upward' while the heavier particles sink and arrange themselves below in stratnms according to their specific gravities.

The improvements in this new machine consist in, first, a drivin g mechanism, constructed with cams or trip-wheels, or eccentrics mounted on the driving-shaft, and acting on shoes in cages which embrace the trip-wheels or eccentrics, and are connecte'dY at one end to a tlexible bellows-diaphragm, and atthe otherend to adjustable rods, which are subjected to the action of springs in such a manner that a very quick impulse can be imparted to the flexible diaphragm in its upper throw without exposing any of the moving parts of the' driving mechanism to injurious blows or shocks,and thatthe length and frequency of thestrokes and of the movements of the diaphragm can be increased or decreased at pleasure, secondly, a feed-mechanism composed ot' hoppers, which can be raised and lowered, and which are connected with gages extending across the ore-bed in such a manner that by adjusting said gages the depth of the ore-bed can he regulated to suit the nature of the materia-'l to be separated.

The other parts of my machine are substan- While the driving` mechanism therein described satisfactorily: serves theA purpose intended, l found; it nwould be preferable in the treatmentof some kinds of ores to construct f such driving mechanism so that the vibration of the ileXible diaphragmwould be produced by having itl brought down Yby means of cams or trip-wheels, or by .eccentrics,` and thrown upward to force the air 'through the mass on the ore-bed by means of a spring or springs.

It will be seen, on referring to such specification, that I then' had such a new device in contemplation, and that I therein intimated my intention of thereafter making application to have the same secured to me by Letters Patent. f

, Since making application for the Letters Patent above mentioned, I have also found it desirable to invent and adopt animproved method of feeding and distributing 'the ore upon the ore-bed. This new driving mechanism and this new device for feeding and distributing the ore upon the ore-bed-form the subject of the present application, andfI will incorporate' in this specification as much ofthe other parts of the machine' asmay tend more clearly to elucidate'what I now desire to secure by further Letters Patent.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a frame, made of metal or vany othersuitable material, and so constructed that it is capable of supporting the driving mechanism, the bellows, the ore-bed, and other workin g parts.

The ore or other substance to be treated ,by this'machine, it' not already in a p'ulverized or granular condition, is iirst reduced' to the required iineness by suitable crushers or stampers, and it is then fed into the hoppers B,fro1n which it is allowed to run out and to spread over the ore-bed C. Said hoppers are provided with tubular screw-shanks'b, which extend loosely through a bridge-piece, c', and to the lower end ot' which are connected the'ga ges d. Suitablehand-wheels e,the1hubs of which are Yprovided with 'internal screw-threads,l iit onthe screw-Shanks above the bridge-'pieces c, so thatv by turning 'said hand-wheels the hoppers, together with. the gages, are 4raised or lowered. By this arrangement the stratum of ore on the orebed can be easily retained at a uniform depth, and the depth ot' said stratum can be regulated to suit the nature of the material to be separated. A

The ore-bed is constructed of a perforated plate of sheet metal, or of wire-gauze, or of cloth, buckskin, or other porous material, and it is supported by a grate, D, to the top of which is secured a box, E, which supports the bridgepieces c', carrying the hoppers B. Said ore-bed is clamped between the upper surface ofthe grate D and the bottom surfaceof the box E, and apacking-piece, a, ot' india-rubber, or other suitable material, is interposed so as to produce 'an air-tight joint. i i f 1 f The bellows whichI use, in preference to any other, is constructed of a diaphragm, F, made of india-rubber or other ysuitable `iiexible material, and provided with air-valves d, as shown in Fig. l of thedrawine'. This dia` phragm is clamped between the supportingframe ofthe grate `l) and the main support ing-frame A, and it receives a reciprocating motion by the driving mechanism that willbe presently described.

l The joint between the supporting-frame of the gratel) and the diaphragm isrendered air-tight by clamping the outer edges of the flexible diaphragm between such fra-me D and y the main supporting'- frame A; and I sometimes insert a paokinglpiece, c, of inda-rubber or `other suitable material, which serves to protect the diaphragm from abrasion, wear, or injury by being brought in4 contact with the frames between which it is clamped. This packing-piece may be cast or cemented upon the rubber diaphragm; but the rlsk of wearis` so slight it may be dispensed with entirely without materialinj ury to the machine.

When the ore-bed is constructed with a bot-l is produced round this aperture by a cross-` bar, j', secured to the supporting-frame of the grate D, and pressing the diaphragm down upon another crossbar, g, secured to or forming a portion of the main frame A, both crossbars being perforated with apertures icorre spending to the bottom delivery b ot' the orehed, such perforations being somewhat larger than the openings inthe ore-bed, to allow the free passage of anything that once enters the opening, and thus clogging` is prevented.

By these means the diaphragm F is divided in two parts, each of which is provided with a separate air-valve or set ot' valves.

The diaphragm thus constructed prevents any fine particles of ore which might pass through the ore-bed from dropping down upon and from injuring the working mechanism, and also affords a means of readily saving and securing such iine ore, owing to the facility of removing the entire top and exposing the diaphragm.

`on the driving-shaft r, and working against the bottom parts ot' cages s, which are connected at one end to perforated metal valveplates f', secured to the diaphragm F, and at the opposite end to a rod, g', which is pro- Avided with loose flanges 7L', resting upon a 'spring or springs, fi', and with two nuts, j It,

one ot' which bears on the ilange h'.

In the bottom part of the cages s are fitted shoes t, with offsets, against which the tripwheels q work. i

I prefer to make the springs t' of india-rubber, and the shoes t of hard wood.

By revolving the driving-shaft the cages s are depressed against the action of their springs, and the exible diaphragm is drawn down so as to admit air through its valves d d and whenever one of the cams of the tripwheel, or whenever the eccentric passes the offset of the shoe in the appropriate cage, the diaphragm iies up, and pufts of air' are projected through the 1n ass of oreon the lore-bed.

By means of the nutsj 7c the cages can be vraised or depressed, and the throw ot' the diaphragm can be adjusted according to the nature of the material under treatment.

By this vdriving mechanism great advan# tages are gained. It is very simple in its construction, it is not liable to sustain any injury by the dust, and it allows of imparting to the diaphragm F Yvery rapid oscillations without producing.injurious shocks orblows. y

A ily-wheel, y, mounted on the driving-shaft,

adds greatly to produce this steadiness of motion.

My machine, as now constructed and as shown on the drawing, is made wholly ot' metal, except the wooden shoes and the rubber diaphragm, valves, packing-pieces, and springs.

VVhatI claim as' new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A driving mechanism constructed with cams or trip-wheels, or eccentrics, mounted on the drivin g-shaft, and acting onshoes in cages supported by springs, and connected to the tleXible diaphragm lf, said lcages bein g so arranged that they can be adjusted in relation to their cams, or trip-wheels, or eccentrics, substantially in the manner described.

2. A feed mechanism composed ot' hoppers which can be raised and lowered, and which are connected to 'gages controlling the depth of the ore-bed, substantially in the manner herein set forth.

WILLIAM HOUDER.

Witnesses:

J. B. RAMsAY, JOHN C. FENrroN. 

